Following government’s decision to put in place some mechanisms as way of honouring Tetteh Quarshie for bringing Cocoa to Ghana, descendants of Tetteh Quarshie have welcome the move indicating that, its high time the ‘legend’ is honored.

Francis Opai Tetteh, an offspring of Tetteh Quarshie, who spoke to the media at Mampong Akwapim during a sod cutting ceremony by government for commencement of the promised museum in honour of Tetteh Quarshie said, the role Tetteh Quarshie’s Cocoa has played in bringing development to Ghana cannot be underestimated.

According to him, the effort by government is in the right direction and assures of the entire Tetteh Quarshie’s family towards any initiative that will identify Tetteh Quarshie as a hero.

According to the Tourism Ministry, the museum will bring to life a typical cocoa farm house and an exhibition center that will showcase the history, tools and the background of cocoa farming in Ghana as well as a boutique for the retail of cocoa products.

The project which is a public-private sector initiative, is expected to take tourists through the processing of cocoa into a variety of products and will also attract tourists to explore the numerous cocoa products produced locally here in Ghana.

In a related development, Descendants of Tetteh Quarshie have issued a press statement that hints of the existence of Tetteh Quarshie Heritage Fund. The statement duly endorsed by Francis Opai Tetteh who is Executive Secretary Tetteh Quarshie Heritage Fund revealed that, fund will focus on sponsoring and promoting Technical, Vocational and Agricultural education in Ghana, setting up of Tetteh Quarshie Community College at Akwapim Mampong, cultivation of 100 acres of cocoa farm at Nyive in the forest belt of the Volta Region, rebranding and enhancing the aesthetic value of the Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout, setting up of Apprenticeship and Entrepreneurship Support Scheme and ccontributing to the expansion of Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital at Mampong in the Eastern Region. For clarity sake, below is the full statement on the existence of the Tetteh Quarshie Heritage Fund:

PRESS STATEMENT BY TETTEH QUARSHIE HERITAGE FUND

So soon, another National Chocolate Day celebration is here with us. It is a momentous day to show love and care to people who matter in our lives. As we celebrate the National Chocolate Day today 14th February, 2018, the Tetteh Quarshie Heritage Fund would like to use this medium to wish all Ghanaians and every friend of Ghana a blissful and flavorsome celebration. Relationship is very important and we absolutely agree with Helen Keller when she said “I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.”

Indeed, an important day like this cannot be marked unforgettably without giving honour to the rich memories of the “Father of Cocoa in West Africa” – Odehe Kpakpa Tetteh Quarshie. About 148 years ago, (1870) Ghana’s foremost patriot, Tetteh Quarshie travelled to Fernando Po now Equatorial Guinea on a missionary assignment.

Upon his return to the then Gold Coast now Ghana six years later (1876), Tetteh Quarshie brought with him eleven pods of cocoa which were completely concealed in his work tool box.

He attempted planting and multiplying the cash crop at his hometown, Christianborg Osu in Accra but the coastal climate and the soil condition did not support the growth of the crop. He therefore took the remaining seeds to Akwapim Mampong where he lived and worked as a blacksmith before travelling to Fernando Po. By 1879, Tetteh Quarshie has successfully planted a flourishing cocoa farm and supplying the neigbhouring farmers with cocoa seeds and seedlings for cultivation.

A little over 125 years ago (20thJanuary 1893) the first official and ceremonial shipment of cocoa was carried out in this country. Cocoa has since become and indispensable foreign exchange earner for Ghana. Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the Big Six led us to achieve political independence. However, our economic emancipation as a nation was singlehandedly achieved by Tetteh Quarshie of blessed memory. It is therefore sad to note that none of the Ghanaian Cedi notes or coins bears the effigy of this incomparable patriot of our nation.

The Tetteh Quarshie Heritage Fund has therefore been set up to immortalize the sterling achievements of Tetteh Quarshie for posterity through:

(2) Setting up of Tetteh Quarshie Community College at Akwapim Mampong

(3) The cultivation of 100 acres of cocoa farm at Nyive in the forest belt of the Volta Region

(4) Rebranding and enhancing the aesthetic value of the Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout

(5) Setting up of Apprenticeship and Entrepreneurship Support Scheme and

(6) Contributing to the expansion of Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital at Mampong

We cannot end this statement without expressing our profound gratitude to some individuals and organizations for working assiduously to preserve the shining legacy of our hero – Tetteh Quarshie.

We are highly indebted to the Tetteh Quarshie Family in Osu and elsewhere around the world, the hard working Cocoa Farmers of Ghana, the British Colonial government for setting up the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana in 1938 and the Cocoa Marketing Board in 1947, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah for building the Cocoa Processing Factory in Tema, Railway line to connect Tema Harbour and Cocoa growing communities and also setting the Blackstar Shipping line to transport cocoa overseas for sale, Former President Jerry John Rawlings for the rehabilitation of the cocoa farms gutted by the ravaging bush fires in 1983, Former President John Agyekum Kuffuor for introducing the Cocoa Mass Spray Programme and Former President John Dramani for also introducing the Cocoa Roads Construction Initiative and all the licensed private cocoa buying companies, input dealers, haulage firms, financial institutions, cocoa processing companies and civil society organizations helping cocoa farmers.

Once again, we wish you all a happy National Chocolate Day celebration!

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